Chamaecrista CAESALPINIACEAE 31 
opening lengthwise along ciliolate suture. Ovary hairy, sessile; ovules numerous; style short; stigma sunken, 
truncate or vaginate. Pods flattened, dehiscent, valves twisted after dehiscence, oblong, thinly coriaceous. 
Seeds oblique in pod, ecarunculate, obscurely banded with pale spots or stripes. 
About 250 species, mostly in the neotropics but also in Africa, tropical Asia and Australia. Six species in the 
NT, 4 of which occur in the DR. C. rotundifolia has been rarely collected as an introduced weed. It does not 
appear to be naturalised in the DR but is included in the key and illustrations. [Randell, 1988] 
[Pau eat letshl 2) palrspmeterstsertecstemtttemtente set isteiersteersrcsttertacssatesstrsettessttececnsreceeesesstretsesrerssests 4 
[Ran Leaflets; >2 palrsprrrcereteeeescrertrtsteretarti tt ttrrerteestettnsscnsretteeriereeteerestittersttast oa 2 
2mm Leatlets <1 3{palrsse7-2 MMOS Mesessctrestretsreerisretseititeetiscessistaststatstertisstetisictscectisetertsette C. sp. (Cassia harneyi) 
2. Leaflets in numerous pairs, typically >25 pairs, up to 11 mm long but 
Usuallymuchilesseitmrneieiietiecitteriesrtietteerrstiersctsteereettetiiertecesecersersecsnetttresseres 3 
3. Leaf rachis margin expanded between leaflet pairs into a rounded WiNg ............sseeseeeeee C. mimosoides 
3. Leaf rachis without expanded wing but densely ciliate with patent hairs 
betweenjleafipairsyersnttrertittetettcerettiecet teccteeestt tttetrersttesteertrmeetene es C. nictitans 
Atom Leatletsilipaiterccnstin.stcsmrteiriiiceitinents: 
4. Leaflets 2 pairs .... 
C. absus (L.) Irwin & Barneby 
Cassia absus L. 
Erect, viscid annual to 1 m high; tomentose with 
short simple hairs, in addition stems, rachis, 
inflorescence and pods with long septate glandular- 
based hairs. Stipules 2.5-6 mm long. Leaves 4- 
foliolate, rachis 16-63 mm long, stipellae caducous; 
leaflets elliptic to obovate, asymmetric, 10-52 mm 
long, 6-30 mm wide, L/W 1.1-1.9, minutely apiculate. 
Inflorescence a terminal, leaf-opposed and apparently 
axillary raceme to 125 mm long. Bracts broadly ovate, 
cordate, 1.5-2 mm long. Pedicels 3-8 mm long. 
Sepals subequal, narrow-elliptic, 4-5.5 mm long. 
Petals clawed, spathulate, 5-8.5 mm long. Stamens 
4-7. Ovary with 5-8 ovules; stigma vaginate. Pods 
brown, 25-44 mm long, 5.5-8 mm wide, reticulately 
veined, base and apex asymmetric, margin with dense 
tomentum of short curved simple hairs, otherwise 
with scattered short and long glandular-based hairs. 
Seeds 5-7, shiny dark brown, quadrate to obovate, 
oblique, 4-5 mm long, 2.3-3.5 mm wide. Flowering 
and fruiting: Jan - July. Fig. 13 
Widespread in the Old World tropics and across 
northern Australia; uncommon in the DR with records 
from Batchelor and Tipperary. Associated with 
disturbed sites on a variety of soil types. 
C. mimosoides (L.) Greene 
Cassia mimosoides L. 
Erect annual forb or subshrub, rarely to 1 m. 
Indumentum of simple, short, pale yellowish hairs. 
Stipules 2.5-7.5 mm long. Leaves sensitive, (15)40- 
85 pairs of leaflets, sometimes with 1-2 basal glands 
C. rotundifolia 
C. absus 
below basal pair, rachis (17)40-110 mm long, 
between leaflet pairs with shallowly rounded, often 
ciliate wing, stipellae absent; /eaflets imbricate, 
linear-oblong, asymmetric, apiculate, 1.5-5 mm long, 
0.4-1 mm wide, L/W 2.5-6.2. Inflorescence supra- 
axillary, usually 1-flowered. Pedicels 10-19 mm long. 
Sepals lanceolate, 4-6.5 mm long, subequal. Petals 
obovate, 4-7.5 mm long, sometimes with minute 
scales at base. Stamens 8-10. Ovules c. 12; stigma 
truncate with ring of hairs. Pods brown, (28)38-53 
mm long, 4-4.7 mm wide. Seeds 13-18, pale brown 
to brown, obovate to oblong or quadrate, 2.5-3.8 mm 
long, 1.6-2.2 mm wide. Flowering and fruiting: 
June - July. Fig. 13 
Widespread in the tropics of the Old World and 
across northern Australia. Common in the DR, 
favouring disturbed habitats in poorly drained sandy 
soils. 
C. nictitans (L.) Moench 
C. lechenaultiana (DC.) Degener 
Erect forb, annual or perennial with annual aerial 
parts, to 60 cm high rarely to 1 m. Indumentum of 
simple, short, yellowish hairs, recurved on stems and 
inflorescence, patent on leaf rachis and rarely pedicels. 
Stipules 5-9 mm long. Leaves sensitive, (10)26-73 
pairs of leaflets, usually with gland below basal 
pair, rachis 23-110 mm long; leaflets imbricate, 
linear-oblong, asymmetric, apiculate, 3-11 mm Jong, 
0.7-2.2 mm wide, L/W 3-6.8. Inflorescence supra- 
axillary, 1-2-flowered. Pedicels 5-15 mm long. 
Sepals lanceolate, 6-10 mm long, subequal. Petals 
obovate, 7-11.5 mm long, sometimes with minute 
